How to Connect Your iPad to iTunes With a Cable or Wirelessly

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Learn how to connect your iPad to iTunes on a Windows or Mac computer

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: March 21, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using a USB Cable to Sync

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Setting Up Wireless Syncing

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Troubleshooting

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Q&A

This wikiHow teaches you how to sync an iPad with iTunes on a Windows or macOS computer. After connecting the iPad to the computer with a USB cable, you’ll also have the option to set up wireless syncing, eliminating the need for cables in the future.

Quick Steps to Sync Your iPad with iTunes

Open iTunes, then plug your iPad into your computer with its charging cable. Click the iPad button in the upper-left corner of iTunes, then select what content you'd like to sync. When you're ready to sync, click the Sync button.

Section 1 of 3:

Using a USB Cable to Sync

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1
Open iTunes on your PC or Mac. If you’re using Windows, you’ll find iTunes in the Start menu (sometimes in a folder called All Apps). If you’re using macOS, click the music note icon in the Dock that runs along the bottom of the screen.
- If you don’t have iTunes on your computer, you can download the latest version for free from https://www.apple.com/itunes/download.
Use the cable that came with your iPad or a compatible replacement. You might be using a USB-C cable or USB to Lightning cable, depending on your iPad model. After a few moments, a button that looks like an iPhone or iPad will appear near the top-left corner of iTunes (to the right of the drop-down menu).^{[1]
X
Research source}

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3
Click the iPad button. It’s the button near the top-left corner of iTunes next to the drop-down menu. Your iPad's name will appear at the top of the left panel.
- If you don’t see the button, make sure the iPad is turned on, unlocked, and open to the Home screen.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
- If you see an alert on your iPad that says “Trust this Computer,” tap Trust, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
4
Click the type of content you want to sync. The options appear under the “Settings” header at the top of the left column.
- For example, if you want to sync music, click Music to open the Music settings in the main panel.
- To further tune your preferences, click Summary in the left column, and then select (or deselect) items under “Options.”
In the main (right) panel, check the boxes next to your desired preferences, and/or remove the checks from content you don’t want to sync.^{[3]
X
Research source}
If you changed your syncing preferences, click this button at the bottom-right corner of iTunes to sync. If you didn’t make changes, click Sync (also at the bottom-right corner) instead.
It’s at the bottom-right corner.
Click Eject
. It’s next to the name of your iPad near the top-left corner of iTunes. The left panel will collapse and you can safely disconnect your iPad from the computer.

Section 2 of 3:

Setting Up Wireless Syncing

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1
Connect your iPad to the same Wi-Fi network as the computer running iTunes. As long as your iPad and the computer with iTunes are connected to the same wireless network, you can use that network to sync content between devices without a USB cable. Here’s how to connect your iPad to a Wi-Fi network:
- Open Settings
  .
- Tap Wi-Fi.
- Tap the network you want to join and enter the passcode if prompted.
- Once connected, a blue check mark will appear next to the network’s name.
2
Open iTunes on your PC or Mac. If you’re using Windows, you’ll find iTunes in the Start menu (sometimes in a folder called All Apps). If you’re using macOS, click the music note icon in the Dock that runs along the bottom of the screen.
- If you don’t have iTunes on your computer, you can download the latest version for free from https://www.apple.com/itunes/download.
Use the cable that came with your iPad or a compatible replacement. You might be using a USB-C cable or USB to Lightning cable, depending on your iPad model. After a few moments, a button that looks like an iPhone or iPad will appear near the top-left corner of iTunes (to the right of the drop-down menu).^{[4]
X
Research source}
4
Click the iPad button. It’s the button near the top-left corner of iTunes next to the drop-down menu. Your iPad's name will appear at the top of the left panel.
- If you don’t see the button, make sure the iPad is turned on, unlocked, and open to the Home screen.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
- If you see an alert on your iPad that says “Trust this Computer,” tap Trust, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
It’s the first option in the left panel (below the name of your iPad) under “Settings.”
It’s under the “Options” header near the bottom of the right panel.
It’s near the bottom-right corner of iTunes (next to the “Done” button). Your iPad is now set up to sync to iTunes on this wireless network.
It's near the bottom-right corner of the screen.
9
Click Done. It’s at the bottom-right corner.
- To disconnect your iPad from iTunes, click
  next to the iPad’s name near the top-left corner of iTunes.
When you're ready to sync over Wi-Fi, simply connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network, click the iPad button in iTunes, and then click Sync.

Section 3 of 3:

Troubleshooting

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1
Check for an iTunes update. If iTunes isn't working, or nothing happens when you plug in your iPad, check if iTunes needs to be updated. iTunes will usually prompt you to update the software when it detects a new update, but you can always double-check manually as well.
- To check for updates, click Help in the menu bar, then click Check for updates. Download and install any pending updates.
2
Check for an iPadOS update. Similarly, if your iPad isn't showing up in iTunes when you plug it in, it may need an update. Your iPad will usually prompt you to update when a new version is available, but you can check manually as well.
- To get the latest iPadOS update, go to the Settings app, then tap on General > Software Update. If a new update is available, download and install it before trying again.
3
Clean your charging port. If your iPad doesn't show that it's charging when you plug it into your computer, there's a good chance something in the charging port is blocking the connection.
- Use a can of condensed air and a toothpick or soft-bristled toothbrush to carefully clean out any debris from the charging port before trying again.

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Question

How do you connect a disabled iPad to iTunes?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

If you can’t remember your password, you may have to erase and restore the iPad. Depending on the model, you’ll need to press the top button or the top and volume button until the “Power Off” slider appears. Then, connect the iPad to a computer and hold the top or home button until the recovery mode screen appears. Locate the iPad on your computer and choose the “Restore” option. Once you’ve restored the iPad and removed the passcode, you can set it up (or restore your old settings and data from backup) and connect to iTunes.

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Why does my iPad not show up in iTunes?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Make sure your iPad is unlocked and that you have the latest software installed on both your iPad and your computer. You’ll also need to select “Trust” if your iPad asks you whether to trust your computer. If none of that works, try a different USB port on your computer. You may also need to restart your computer and your iPad.

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Question

How do I reset my iPad without iTunes?

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Staff Answer

Go to Settings, then General, then select “Reset.” You may be prompted to enter your Apple ID password or device password. Confirm that you’d like to erase and reset your iPad. This process usually takes a few minutes to complete.

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